Shock! Horror! Blind networks include impressions on sites which may be a very bad fit with your company’s brand.

It’s ironic that the advertisers cited as appearing on inappropriate sites recently, including Orange and Virgin Media, have been vocal in expressing concern and outrage about the damage this has done to their brands. The press too have joined in, clearly pointing the finger at the irresponsible networks. As a result, IASH, the network trade body, have hurriedly issued statements, expelled members and put together an industry code of conduct.

Here’s a funny thing, advertisers; you paid pennies for a blind network campaign. You could have paid a small premium for a campaign where you were able to select which sites you want your ads to appear on. You can blame the networks all you like, but the reality is that blind means blind; you saved money and in order to do so, you surrendered control. Blind networks might appear to be good value, but they’re simply not suitable for a campaign where brand is sensitive. Whether through impossibly tight budgets or incompetence, your marketing teams selected an inappropriate medium for your brand sensitive campaigns. You have no-one to blame but yourselves.